Fingerpicking is playing the guitar with your fingers instead of a pick, plucking each string individually so the notes ring out one at a time. The thumb plays the bass strings, the index finger plays the 3rd string, the middle finger plays the 2nd string, and the ring finger plays the 1st string.
What is fingerpicking?
Fingerpicking is playing the guitar with your fingers instead of a pick, plucking each string individually so the notes ring out one at a time, and the chord is heard as a melody, not as a block. The thumb plays the bass strings, the 6th, 5th and 4th strings, and the index finger plays the 3rd string, the middle finger plays the 2nd string, and the ring finger plays the 1st string, and each finger has its own string, so the fingers do not get in each other's way. The result is a clear, flowing sound, with the bass and the melody played together, by one hand. Fingerpicking is used in folk, classical, country, and many other styles, and it is the way most guitarists play when they want a soft, intimate sound, or when they want to play the bass and the melody at the same time. A strummed chord sounds like a block, with all the notes together, while a fingerpicked chord sounds like a line, with the notes one after another, and the line can be a melody, an arpeggio, or a bass pattern, depending on the fingers. The C major guitar chord and the G major guitar chord are the chords most beginners first fingerpick, and the metronome keeps the beat steady.
How fingerpicking works
Fingerpicking works by assigning each finger to a string, and plucking the strings in a pattern, so the bass and the melody are played together. The thumb, which is called P in classical guitar, from the Spanish pulgar, plays the bass strings, the 6th, 5th and 4th strings, and it plays the root of the chord on the first beat, and the 5th on the third beat, giving the bass its rhythm. The index finger, I, from indice, plays the 3rd string, the middle finger, M, from medio, plays the 2nd string, and the ring finger, A, from anular, plays the 1st string, and the three fingers play the treble strings, giving the melody its notes. The pattern is the key: a common pattern is thumb, index, middle, ring, which is P, I, M, A, played in order, from the bass to the treble, and the pattern repeats, giving the arpeggio its flow. Another common pattern is thumb, index, middle, index, which is P, I, M, I, played in order, with the index finger returning to the 3rd string, and the pattern repeats, giving the arpeggio a different feel. The fingers pluck the strings with the flesh and the nail, pulling the string towards the palm, and the string rings, and the next finger plucks the next string, and the notes flow into each other. The D major guitar chord and the A major guitar chord are the chords the patterns are built on.
Worked example — the P-I-M-A pattern on C major. Hold a C major chord, and play the pattern thumb, index, middle, ring, in order, with the thumb on the 5th string, the index on the 3rd string, the middle on the 2nd string, and the ring on the 1st string. The notes are C, G, B, E, which are the root, the 5th, the major 7th, and the major 3rd of C major, and each note rings into the next, so the chord is heard as a flowing line, not as a block. Now play the pattern again, and again, keeping the thumb on the beat and the fingers on the offbeats, and the arpeggio flows, with the bass and the melody together. The I–V–vi–IV progression in C major is a good progression to practise the pattern with, because it uses C major, G major, A minor and F major, and the pattern works on every chord.
How to practise fingerpicking
Practise fingerpicking slowly, with a metronome, until each finger finds its string and the pattern flows, and then increase the speed, one step at a time.
- Practise the P-I-M-A pattern on a C major chord, thumb on the 5th string, index on the 3rd, middle on the 2nd, ring on the 1st, and play each note cleanly, one at a time.
- Practise the P-I-M-I pattern on a G major chord, thumb on the 6th string, index on the 3rd, middle on the 2nd, index on the 3rd, and listen for the pattern to flow.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major with the P-I-M-A pattern, changing chords on beat one of each bar.
- Practise with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, and increase the tempo by 5 beats per minute when the pattern is steady at the current tempo.
- Practise fingerpicking with your eyes closed, so the fingers learn the strings by touch, and not by sight, and the pattern becomes a habit.
Common mistakes
- Using the wrong finger on a string — Each finger has its own string, and using the wrong finger will make the pattern uneven, because the fingers will cross and tangle. Assign the thumb to the bass strings, the index to the 3rd, the middle to the 2nd, and the ring to the 1st, and keep the assignment.
- Plucking too hard — A finger that plucks too hard will make the string snap, and the note will be harsh and short, instead of clear and ringing. Pluck gently, with the flesh and the nail, pulling the string towards the palm, and let the string ring.
- Rushing the pattern — A pattern played too fast will be uneven and sloppy, because the fingers cannot keep up, and the notes will blur together. Practise slowly, with a metronome, until the pattern is smooth, and then increase the speed, one step at a time.
Quick reference
This table shows the fingerpicking assignment, with the finger, its classical name, and the strings it plays, so you can see the system at a glance. The thumb plays the bass, and the three fingers play the treble, and each finger has its own string, so the pattern is clear and the fingers do not tangle.
| Finger | Classical name | Strings |
|---|---|---|
| Thumb | P (pulgar) | 6th, 5th, 4th strings |
| Index | I (indice) | 3rd string |
| Middle | M (medio) | 2nd string |
| Ring | A (anular) | 1st string |
Use the table to learn the assignment: thumb on the bass, index on the 3rd, middle on the 2nd, ring on the 1st, and practise the P-I-M-A pattern until each finger finds its string without looking. When the assignment is a habit, you can fingerpick any chord, in any pattern, without thinking about the fingers.
Frequently asked questions
What is fingerpicking?
Fingerpicking is playing the guitar with your fingers instead of a pick, plucking each string individually so the notes ring out one at a time. The thumb plays the bass strings, the index finger plays the 3rd string, the middle finger plays the 2nd string, and the ring finger plays the 1st string.
Which finger plays which string?
The thumb plays the bass strings, the 6th, 5th and 4th strings, the index finger plays the 3rd string, the middle finger plays the 2nd string, and the ring finger plays the 1st string, and each finger has its own string, so the fingers do not get in each other's way.
Do I need long nails to fingerpick?
No, but nails help, because they give a clearer, brighter sound than flesh alone. A nail that is 1 to 2 millimetres past the fingertip is enough, and it should be shaped and filed, so it plucks the string cleanly.
Is fingerpicking harder than strumming?
It is different, not harder. Strumming plays all the strings together, and fingerpicking plays them one at a time, and the fingerpicking needs more coordination, because each finger has its own string, but the coordination builds with practice.
Can I fingerpick on any guitar?
Yes. Fingerpicking works on acoustic, electric, and classical guitars, and on ukulele and banjo too, although the classical guitar is the instrument most associated with fingerpicking, because its wide neck and nylon strings are made for it.